MAP25: Perfect Hatred (PlayStation Doom)

MAP25: Perfect Hatred is the twenty-fifth level in the Ultimate Doom episode of the PlayStation and Sega Saturn versions of Doom. It is based on the original E4M2: Perfect Hatred, with modifications made to adapt the map to the consoles' limitations. The author of the original map is John Romero.

Unlike the original level, console ports do not include a secret exit as the Fear level does not appear on consoles.

Essentials
You will see two steps in front of you at the start. Run up the left step to the platform across the lava and press the switch on your right. This will open a wall behind you, so run through it and drop into the lava pit behind it. Turn around and press the switch behind you to raise a walkway around the room, then step into the small triangle of lava to the left to open an exit out of the pit in the north wall. Go through this opening, climb the stairs and go straight forward into a teleporter.

You will return to the starting area. Run up the left ledge to cross the lava, then go through the door on your left again. This time, go around the walkway you raised earlier - when you cross to the final ledge, approach the plasma gun found here to open alcoves in front of and behind you containing Hell knights. The alcove in front of you also contains the yellow skull key; try and fight the knights while staying on the walkway. Once they are dealt with, take the yellow key and backtrack to the starting area.

This time, run up the right ledge to cross the lava, then press the switch on your left (requiring the yellow key) which will open a structure ahead containing lost souls, plus knights on Hurt Me Plenty and Ultra Violence skill levels. The north edge of the structure is a long ledge leading to an opening in the wall; run along that ledge into the opening, leading into a cave with lava streams. Follow the caverns, watching out for spectres and cacodemons along the way, until you climb a staircase to a teleporter guarded by lost souls. Next to the teleporter is a small cavern containing the blue skull key, guarded by another knight. Get the key and step into the teleporter to return to the start point.

Run across the left ledge again and go straight forward to the blue skull pillar; open it and climb the staircase to the top floor. Go to the door ahead, which will open to reveal a room with cacodemons. Get past them and press the switch at the end of the room to finish the level.

Other points of interest
If you drop into the lava in the central area, you can escape by heading to the south-east corner and climbing the lava stairs found here. At the top, the wall ahead will open to reveal a small room connecting to the start point. Watch out for the imps in this area.

A radiation shielding suit can be found between the two ledges in front of you at the start of the level, and another suit can be found at the top of the staircase past the blue skull pillar.

A soulsphere can be found below the ledge before the blue skull pillar; drop east off the ledge to find it.

After opening the alcoves containing knights in the south-west room, head back round the walkway to the south alcove. Open the eastern metal wall to reveal a switch behind it; pressing this switch raises a platform between the two large platforms in the central chamber, making it easier to navigate this area.

After entering the eastern cavern, drop off the ledge and turn right. A chainsaw can be found in the corner.

Secrets

 * 1) In the smaller, isolated lava pit in the south-west of the level, drop into the lava and press the switch in the north-east corner to raise a bridge. Step into the small triangle of lava next to the switch to open an exit out of this pit. Go through this exit and climb the stairs, where you will see a teleporter in front of you. Open the wall to the left just before the teleporter; behind it is a secret cache containing a berserk pack and an energy cell pack. (sector 93) The right wall at the back of the secret room also opens, and you can step into the other side of the teleporter to a ledge overlooking the main area holding megaarmor and a box of rockets.
 * 2) After opening the blue "door", climb the stairs and across the platform to the door ahead, which will open to reveal cacodemons. Run back down the staircase and you will find that a teleporter has been revealed just ahead. Step into it to be sent to the walled area at the top of the staircase, possibly telefragging the Hell knight here in the process, and acquire the BFG9000. (sector 95) To escape, press the skull switch next to you to lower the wall.
 * 3) Upon lowering the wall to exit secret #2, a wall due south in the lava pit will also lower for a few seconds. Quickly run into it to find an alcove containing a soulsphere and a megaarmor pickup. (sector 19)

Comparison of versions
Numerous changes exist in the level as compared to its PC version:

Room design

 * Several rooms, including the central chamber and the south-western room, have had their heights reduced.
 * Most staircases in the level have fewer steps, including the ledges in front of you at the start of the level and the stairs past the blue "door".
 * The number of walls in the central chamber is reduced, giving it a more geometric shape. The wooden ledges in this chamber have also been made square.
 * The staircases in front of you at the start of the level have been made square.
 * The small pillars either side of the switch requiring the yellow skull key have been removed. Instead, yellow skull textures are placed either side of the switch.
 * The brightly-lit sectors on the ledge west of the cyberdemon alcove have been removed, and replaced with a single blinking light.
 * The overhanging ceiling above the door leading to the exit switch has a straight edge instead of a zig-zag.
 * After teleporting into the cyberdemon alcove, you must press a switch to lower the wall and open secret #3. In the PC version of this level, you press use on the wall instead.

Other

 * The cyberdemon and all the barons of Hell are replaced with Hell knights.
 * There is a demon on the starting platform that immediately proceeds to bite you the moment the level starts.
 * The secret exit has been removed from this level. Megaarmor and a soulsphere can be found in secret #3 instead.

Music
The map uses the following music tracks:

Things
This level contains the following numbers of things per skill level: